Acme Racing's Triumphant Return to the Australian Offshore Superboat Championship
by Acme Racing 9 Aug 2024 15:55 AEST
Acme Racing on the Gold Coast © AOPC
Acme Racing proudly announces their return to the Australian Offshore Superboat Championship, a milestone eagerly anticipated by fans and competitors alike. Embedded in Australian offshore racing history with multiple championship titles and race wins, Acme Racing, led by brothers Steve and Andrew Searle, has not competed in the championship since Steve's tragic passing in 2012.
Acme Composites International, owned and operated by Andrew Searle, is a cornerstone of the Australian marine industry, supplying key composite materials and consumables. Andrew, having competed in just a handful of races for other Supercat teams since 2012, was always determined to race once again under the bright red banner of 'Acme Racing' in his brother's honour.
Technical rule changes over the years have seen modern Supercat boats become significantly lighter than their predecessors, posing a formidable challenge for Andrew and his team. Modifying their iconic 46-foot Skater, affectionately known as 'Big Red', to meet the new weight specifications was nearly impossible.
In 2020, a crucial opportunity arose when Maritimo owner Bill Barry-Cotter offered to sell an unfinished 2017 Maritimo Racing Hull at an enticing price to help Acme Racing return to the championship. "I am very thankful to Bill for offering to sell the boat," said Andrew Searle. This hull, originally designed for Mercury M6 Drives, required extensive work to bring it to racing condition.
Andrew, a true competitor, did not aim to merely participate; he aimed to win. He enlisted Tom Barry-Cotter to design a suite of modifications to give the boat a competitive edge. Tom re-engineered the rear of the boat to convert to a BPM surface drive arrangement with SCS internal dropboxes and completely redesigned the running surface.
In 2022, Andrew began the laborious task of modifying the boat, often working alone during evenings, weekends, and holidays. By 2023, the newly completed Acme Racing 36', now dubbed 'Little Red', was ready for its iconic red paint job. Since then, 'Little Red' has been at Acme Composites' Queensland HQ for rigging and engine installation, all done by Andrew in his spare time.
The rigging process saw the reunion of the Acme Racing crew from years past. Ian McClelland returned to assist in rigging and programming the boat's systems. Andrew's brother Chris Searle, Ian Harris, and Andrew's partner Teresa also worked tirelessly to prepare the boat for its maiden race.
Throttling the boat himself, Andrew Searle teamed up with four-time Australian AUS1 Champion and UIM World Champion Tom Barry-Cotter in the driver's seat. Acme Racing had a fantastic outing at the weekend’s Gold Coast Superboat Event.
“We entered the Gold Coast Race as a test bed for the upcoming 24/25 Season which kicks off in Lake Macquarie later this year," said Andrew. "Our goal for our first weekend of competitive action was just to get a feel for the boat, and come away with a bunch of valuable data to put towards a championship challenge for next season.”
The weekend’s races saw Acme Racing secure two third-place finishes, though the standings did not reflect the competitiveness of the boat, which led much of Sunday’s race. “The boat felt fantastic! To come away with two finishes and a very competitive performance, we are very happy about where we sit heading into next season’s championship,” Andrew added.
The future looks bright for Acme Racing as they gear up for the next season, starting in Lake Macquarie later this year.